Word: bothas
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...SWAPO incursions allowed South Africa, which agreed to the independence plan only grudgingly, a rare opportunity to cry foul. Calling the violations a "grave situation," Foreign Minister Roelof ("Pik") Botha warned that the Namibian peace process "could collapse within hours." Pretoria applied pressure on UNTAG's Finnish commander, Martti Ahtisaari, to reactivate some South African military forces and ordered others back to service on its own. Backed by Western public opinion for once, South Africa continued to threaten an end to the treaty. Declared Foreign Minister Botha: "SWAPO must surrender, lay down their arms, hoist a white flag...
...wake of a stroke, State President P.W. Botha, 73, stepped down in February as leader of South Africa's long-ruling National Party, seemingly | signaling his intention to retire. But last month he returned to his presidential office, haughtily dismissing talk of a national election later this year that would pave the way for his formal departure. Both his party and his expected successor, Frederik W. de Klerk, 53, were displeased. Under their pressure, the State President, known unflatteringly as the Great Crocodile, flip-flopped on both counts last week...
...September, and a new body must be elected within six months. Not only are elections a party matter, which should have been decided by De Klerk, but the caucus was eager to call an election as early as May to take advantage of pratfalls by the opposition parties. Botha protests that he is "not looking for power for the sake of power," and does "not cling to posts." But it seems to many of his colleagues that his arbitrary postponement of the election to next year, when it must be held by March, reveals nothing so much as his desire...
...return of the Great Crocodile, as Botha is not so affectionately called, dispelled the feeling of relief that had swept over the party and white South Africans in general while he was out of commission and the more open-minded and tactful De Klerk had taken charge. De Klerk is from Voortrekker (pioneer) country and is as conservative in ideas and policies as Botha. But his style is less dictatorial, more conciliatory...
Much as the Nationalists want Botha to resign, there are no signs that they will muster the audacity to force him out. They are too accustomed to subservience and too respectful of his position to challenge him politically. Talk in party circles now centers on a face-saving compromise under which Botha would share decision making with De Klerk, then retire gracefully in a few months. But P.W. Botha seems to have a "compromise" of his own in mind: he will serve out the last year of his term and De Klerk will wait his turn...